How To Connect Multiple Bluetooth Headphones To A TV

Hi everyone! I’m sure many of us have had the issue of trying to connect multiple Bluetooth headphones to a TV. I recently had this problem and went on a journey to find a solution. After researching the pros and cons, tips and tricks, I was able to successfully connect multiple Bluetooth headphones to my TV. I’m here to share my experience, as well as some other solutions I discovered.

Multiple Bluetooth headphones can be connected to a TV in one of three ways: using the inbuilt dual pairing mode in advanced settings; downloading a third-party app; or a separate Bluetooth transmitter/receiver device. In each case, multiple headphones will need to be paired in sequence.

Tips
Smart TVs with built-in Bluetooth may have a ‘Dual Audio’ setting to connect multiple Bluetooth headphones.
If your TV does not support Bluetooth, purchase a Bluetooth transmitter and receiver.
Most Bluetooth transmitters support connecting only two Bluetooth headphones at a time.
Third-party apps can be used to connect more than two Bluetooth headphones to a TV.
Combo packs of a transmitter and headset are available to minimize the hassle of pairing.

Table of Contents

Steps To Connect Multiple Bluetooth Headphones To A TV

There are three steps to work through to determine how to connect multiple Bluetooth headphones to a TV:

Check your TV settings and user manual to see if your smart TV has built-in Bluetooth and supports connecting multiple Bluetooth headphones. If it does, you will not need to go through steps 2 and 3.
If your TV does not support Bluetooth or will not connect to Bluetooth headphones, check that your TV has a 3.5mm jack input or RCA cable input.
Purchase a Bluetooth transmitter and receiver.

Connect Headphones To Your TVs Built-In Bluetooth Transmitter

Check the TV settings in the instruction manual you received when you bought the TV and confirm that your TV supports Bluetooth.

If your TV supports Bluetooth, follow the instructions in the manual or go through the settings in the TV menu to pair one set of Bluetooth headphones to the TV and then pair the second set of Bluetooth headphones.

In most cases, the steps will be something similar to these:

Open the ‘Settings’ menu on your smart TV
Navigate to ‘Bluetooth settings
Select ‘Advanced Options’ or ‘Advanced Bluetooth Options’

Select the ‘Dual Audio’ option
Pair each Bluetooth headphone set to your smart TV, one after the other

Where possible, pairing headphones made by the same brand as the TV will help minimize pairing issues and give you a hassle-free experience.

Connect Headphones To A Third-Party Bluetooth Transmitter

Should your TV not support one of the following:

Bluetooth transmission
Dual Audio in the Bluetooth settings

You will need to connect multiple Bluetooth headphones to your TV using a third-party receiver/transmitter. Many different brands are available for purchase; some are better than others. In most cases, you get what you pay for, so research which is best for your TV and is available in your area.

Most Bluetooth receiver/transmitters work in similar ways. Follow these steps to connect multiple Bluetooth headphones to your TV using a Bluetooth receiver/transmitter:

Unbox your Bluetooth transmitter. Check the manual to confirm it is compatible with your TV.

Connect the Bluetooth transmitter to a power supply. Most transmitters will come with a power cable that plugs into the device on one end and either into a wall socket or into a USB port on the other end. If there is an open USB port on your TV, it is often easiest to plug it directly into this. If not, plug it into a wall socket.
Confirm the power is on by checking the power indicator light is not flashing but is permanently on.
Connect the Bluetooth transmitter to the audio output of your TV. Do this by plugging the 3.5mm jack cable into the ‘headphones’ output port on the TV.

(If your TV does not have a 3.5mm jack output port, use a 3.5mm female to RCA male cable to connect to the RCA audio output ports on your TV. You may need to buy one of these cables separately if it is not supplied with the Bluetooth transmitter)

Pair your Bluetooth transmitter to the first set of Bluetooth headphones:
Make sure the headphones are near the transmitter to ensure a strong connection.
Pair the devices by pressing the power button on the transmitter until the light blinks to indicate it is in pairing mode,
Then press the power or pairing button on the headphones until it beeps or the light on the headphones blinks.

Most Bluetooth headphones have an audio voice prompt to let you know the headphones are paired.
Pair your Bluetooth transmitter with the second set of Bluetooth headphones by following the same steps above for the first pairing.

Both Bluetooth headphones should now be connected to the same audio from your TV.

How To Connect More Than Two Bluetooth Headphones To A TV

Most TVs with Bluetooth built-in that supports ‘Dual Audio’ will only pair two Bluetooth headphones to a TV simultaneously. Similarly, most Bluetooth transmitters will only pair two headphones at a time.

To connect more than two Bluetooth headphones, you will need a Bluetooth transmitter that supports this. Check with the supplier before purchasing a Bluetooth transmitter and how many connections it can support at one time before purchasing it.

In most cases, the setup and pairing of these devices are similar to the steps outlined above.

Purchase A Bluetooth Transmitter And Headset Combo

Many transmitters and headphone combos are available if you are not tech savvy or are worried that your current Bluetooth headphones will not pair with a third-party transmitter. This will minimize the hassle of getting different devices from different brands to pair as they are designed to work together.

In some cases, the combo will include multiple sets of Bluetooth headphones.

Use A Third-Party App To Set Up Dual Audio On Your TV

If your Smart TV has Bluetooth but does not support ‘Dual Audio’, meaning you can only connect one set of Bluetooth headphones to your TV at one time, there are many third-party apps that will allow you to pair more than one set of headphones to your TV at a time.

Here’s how to do it:

Open the App Store on your Smart TV
Select the third-party app you would like to download, download and install it

Follow the instructions in the app to connect multiple headphones to your TV

Keep the following in mind, however:

Some apps will only support Bluetooth devices from the same brand or compatible speakers with certain criteria. You may need to buy these devices separately to use the app.

Pros:

Can connect multiple Bluetooth headphones to a TV
No additional hardware required in most cases
Easy to set up with step-by-step instructions

Can be used with most Bluetooth devices

Cons:

Not all TVs support Bluetooth
Some third-party apps may not be compatible with certain Bluetooth devices

Not all Bluetooth transmitters can connect more than two devices

Conclusion

There are many good reasons to connect multiple Bluetooth headphones to your TV. Some TVs have built-in Bluetooth, in which case it, is a simple matter of enabling the ‘Dual Audio’ function on the TV and pairing the headphones. But many TVs with Bluetooth only support one set of headphones being paired with the TV simultaneously. In some cases, the TV does not support Bluetooth in the first place. Using a Bluetooth transmitter to plug directly into the TV with a 3.5mm jack or RCA cables is best. These devices can connect two, or sometimes more, Bluetooth headphones to your TV.